advertisement
With soaring temperatures taking a toll on your body and the heat sucking up all your energy, reaching out for a tall glass of ice-cold water seems like the perfect way to beat the dreaded summers. From office-goers to school children, come summer and everyone around seems to fall into a mechanical ritual of sorts: open the fridge, grab that bottle of chilled water and chug.
It may seem like the natural thing to do in the heat, but do you know that drinking chilled water may adversely affect your health?
Also Read: The Deadly Summers Have Arrived – Here’s How You Can Beat the Heat
Though there is inconclusive evidence to prove that cold water is worse for you than warm water, let’s take a look at five common ailments associated with drinking cold water and why warm water is often championed as being the better option.
Cold water is devoid of many essential minerals and could become “very unfavorable to the digestive tract,” says a 2015 study, published in the European Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research. According to the study, drinking cold water can restrict digestion.
In his book, The Complete Book Of Ayurvedic Home Remedies, Dr Vasant D Lad warns against drinking cold water:
Switch to warm water. Why? Because it reportedly helps flush out toxins and facilitates better breakdown of food, thereby enhancing digestion.
Refrain from gulping down large quantities of cold water in between, or after a meal, the study warns.
Cold water leads to a solidification of fat, which the body then struggles to break down and digest, the study claims. This leads to fat accumulation, which can make you pile on some extra kilos.
Gym trainers suggest drinking a warm glass of water after the workout instead, to replenish the essential fluids that have been lost in the form of perspiration. The authors of the EJPMR study say:
According to the EJPMR study: “Drinking cold water after a meal creates excess mucus in your body. This makes you more susceptible to catching a cold.
Now you know why your parents always warned you against drinking chilled water.
Give your respiratory tract some much-needed respite and switch to room temperature or warm water. According to the study:
Nothing quenches thirst quite like chilled water. But did you know cold water may cause dehydration?
This is why Ayurveda advises against drinking cold water. In his book, Dr Vasant advises that we do away with the unhealthy habit of drinking “chilled water during a meal, or indeed at any time.”
Warm water prevents dehydration and fatigue and is an excellent way to keep your body hydrated, especially in the long summer months. Don’t believe us? Experts say that drinking warm water before bed can actually rehydrate your body by replenishing the liquids lost during the day.
Drinking ice cold water can cause your heart rate to drop. According to the EJPMR study, drinking cold water may also lead to a decrease in the functioning of the immune system. On the other hand, warm water increases metabolism, the authors of the study claim, adding that it can heal our bodies, by “providing digestive power and reducing metabolic waste that could have built up in our immune system”.
It’s true, nothing tastes better than some cold water after a long day in the sun. But is it really worth it? Studies and experts suggest that we start and end our day with warm water. While it may not appeal to the tastebuds as much as chilled water, from aiding digestion to improving immunity, to boosting circulation, the benefits of warm water appear to outnumber that of cold water. Bonus: warm water reportedly helps you fight premature ageing too. So go ahead and hydrate; just make sure you’ve got the temperature just right.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)
Published: 02 May 2017,05:50 PM IST